The Administration: What the Doctor Ordered

Before Medicare took effect on
July 1, there were dire predictions of imminent chaos. Every oldster
with a hangnail or bellyache would demand a hospital bed, pushing
admissions beyond capacity. Thousands of hospitals would fail to meet
federal standards and thus be unable to serve Medicare patients.
General administration of a plan covering 19.1 million persons could
easily break down. In the first eight weeks of the program, Medicare
has had its problems, but they have been surprisingly few and far less
serious than expected.

Widespread Confusion. Last week, as teams of expert observers toured the
U.S. and regional offices...